Air & Barrel
Menu

Explainer

What the cool shot button does and when to use it

Published

Short answer

The cool shot button switches off the heating element so the dryer blows unheated air while the motor keeps running. Hair is easiest to shape while warm and holds a shape better once it cools, so a few seconds of cool air on a styled section helps a blowout, curl or wave set. Use it at the end of each section, not for the whole dry.

Dryers and stylers for this

All 7 picks compared
A coiled hair dryer placed on folded white towels, suggesting a hotel setting
Photo: Nadin Sh on Pexels

Almost every premium hair dryer has a cool shot or cold shot button, and many hot air brushes and multi-stylers have a cool setting too. A lot of people never press it, or are not sure what it is for. This page is for anyone who wants to know what the button actually does, why it helps a style last, when to use it during a blowout or curl, how long to hold it, and what the Dyson Supersonic and Airwrap cold shot and the Nural's smart modes do. It also covers why a cool shot that is stuck on makes a dryer seem broken.

What the button does

Inside a dryer, a fan pulls air in through the intake and pushes it past a heating element and out of the nozzle. The cool shot cuts power to the heating element but keeps the fan running, so you get the same airflow without the heat. On most dryers you hold the button down; some have a lock-in cool shot that stays on until you press it again, which the T3 AireLuxe listing mentions.

The air is not refrigerated. It is room temperature air, which feels cool on warm hair. That is why some makers call it cool shot and others call it cold shot.

Cutaway of a hair dryer: intake and filter, motor and fan, heating element, ion generator, nozzle, buttons and cord12345678
  1. 1Air intake and filter: keep it clean, or the dryer runs hot
  2. 2Motor and fan: pull air in and push it forward
  3. 3Heating element: warms the air as it passes
  4. 4Ion generator, on dryers that list one
  5. 5Nozzle: where attachments clip on
  6. 6Heat and speed buttons
  7. 7Cool shot button: unheated air to set the style
  8. 8Cord
Inside a typical hair dryer. Layouts vary: some motors sit in the handle, and not every dryer has an ion generator.

Why cooling helps a style hold

Hair changes shape as it dries and as it is heated. Heat and moisture let hair take a new shape on a brush or barrel, and the shape sets as the hair dries and cools in that position. If you release a warm section, it can relax and drop before it sets. A few seconds of cool air while the hair is still on the brush or barrel lets it cool in the shape you want.

This is why stylists finish each section with the cool shot, and why curls and root volume often fall out faster when you skip it. Many makers also say the cool shot helps lock in a style, for example in the BaBylissPRO Rapido and Nano Light listings.

When and how to use it

  • Smooth blowout

    When to cool
    End of each section on the brush
    How long
    About 5 seconds

  • Root volume

    When to cool
    While the root is lifted
    How long
    About 5 to 10 seconds

  • Curls on a barrel

    When to cool
    While the curl is still wrapped
    How long
    About 5 seconds

  • Diffused curls

    When to cool
    At the end, low airflow
    How long
    A short pass

  • Smoothing flyaways

    When to cool
    Final pass over the top
    How long
    A few seconds
Typical cool shot use by style
  1. 1

    Dry and style a section with heat as usual, on a round brush, hot air brush or curl barrel.

  2. 2

    Keep the brush or barrel in place at the end of the section.

  3. 3

    Press the cool shot and aim the air at the section for about five to ten seconds.

  4. 4

    Release the button and then release the hair.

  5. 5

    For root volume, cool the root while it is lifted. For curls, cool the curl while it is still wrapped.

  6. 6

    Leave styled sections alone until the whole head has cooled.

Note.Use cool air to set, not to dry. Drying a full head with only cool air takes a long time. Use heat for drying and cool for setting.

Dyson Supersonic and Airwrap cold shot

Dyson calls it the cold shot. Dyson lists the Supersonic heat settings as 100 C (212 F) fast drying, 80 C (176 F) regular and 60 C (140 F) gentle, plus a constant cold shot of 28 C (82 F). The Airwrap has three heat settings, three airflow speeds and a cold shot, and the Airwrap i.d. stores your cold shot settings along with wrap and style settings. See Dyson Airwrap temperature settings.

The Supersonic Nural adds features that change heat automatically. Its listing describes scalp protect, which lowers heat near the scalp, and pause detect, which turns off the heater and lowers airflow when the dryer is not moving. Those are not the cold shot, but they can make the air feel cooler. See how to use the Dyson Supersonic Nural.

Compare Dyson hair dryers →

Hot air brushes with a cool setting

Many blow dryer brushes have a cool option. The Drybar Single Shot, Half Shot and Triple Shot list three heat settings plus cool airflow. If your brush has one, use it the same way: hold the brush at the end of the section and switch to cool for a few seconds before you pull away. Our best blow dryer brushes guide lists the controls on each model, and how to use a hot air brush shows where the cool step fits in.

Cool shot stuck on?

If your dryer suddenly blows cold on every setting, check whether a lock-in cool shot is latched. If it is not, the cause may be a clogged filter tripping the thermal protection, or a failed heater. Work through hair dryer blowing cold air before you assume the dryer is broken.

Frequently asked questions

What does the cool shot do on a hair dryer? It turns off the heat while the fan keeps blowing, so you can cool a styled section and help it hold its shape.

Does the cool shot reduce frizz? Makers often say it helps lock in a smooth finish. The main job is helping the style set. Technique and nozzle angle matter more for frizz. See frizz after blow drying.

How long should I hold the cool shot? About five to ten seconds per section is typical guidance. Longer does not hurt, it just takes more time.

Do all hair dryers have a cool shot? Nearly all premium dryers do. Check the listing for cool shot or cold shot. See how to choose a hair dryer.

What you need for this